Chamber and committees

The information requested is not available centrally.

Speed monitoring is carried out on an on-going basis by the SPECS system and other permanent recording equipment on the road. Personal injury crash and casualty records are also maintained on an on-going basis. All these statistics will be used over time to establish the effect of the system.

We are currently not aware of any plans by safety camera partnerships to introduce the Speed Enforcement Camera System (SPECS) to more roads in Scotland. SPECS has been introduced on the A77 from Bogend to Ardwell as a trial and as part of an integrated road safety strategy for the A77 that includes £20 million investment in road engineering improvement, increased road policing activity and an education programme. The first review of the effects of the system will be at the end of twelve months and will inform future decisions on the inclusion of this type of equipment in the Scottish Safety Camera Programme.

We have no plans to institute a statutory right of secondary transfer for former council properties which have been transferred under whole stock transfer.

I would refer the member to the definition which was given to the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee in September 2000 by the then Minister for Communities, Wendy Alexander.

Community ownership is a way of empowering tenants, maximising the total resources available for investment in public sector housing and securing additional benefits for the wider community. Community ownership would normally result from the transfer of existing public sector rented housing to alternative community landlords at a price which reflects the value of the stock and under arrangements which ensure that:

The housing is owned by a non-profit-making body on which there is tenant, local authority and community representation;

There is effective tenant involvement in key decisions;

Housing is available, and continues to be available, to be let at affordable rents to those in housing need, including the homeless and other vulnerable groups, and

There are guarantees for transferring tenants regarding rent increases, tenancy rights and repairs and improvements to the stock.

I believe that definition is still relevant today.

Yes.

Yes.

The Executive provides £1.2 million per annum to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, which has direct responsibility for supporting the commissioner’s office and activities. The commissioner was appointed by Parliament and her accountability to Parliament is set out in the commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act. The commissioner is fully independent of the Executive.

The procurement was carried out in full accordance with European Union procurement rules under the Open Procurement procedures. This included advertising in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

The decision to award the contract was made by Strathclyde Police on behalf of the Scottish Police Service and was approved by Strathclyde Joint Police Board. Ministers were not involved in the decision making process.